H-4108.2          _______________________________________________

 

                                  HOUSE BILL 2560

                  _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington              54th Legislature             1996 Regular Session

 

By Representatives Kessler, Basich, Buck, Sheldon, Hatfield, Romero, Chopp, Scheuerman, Murray, Conway, Tokuda, Dellwo, Veloria, Cody, Regala, Linville and Costa

 

Read first time 01/12/96.  Referred to Committee on Natural Resources.

 

Funding watershed restoration.



     AN ACT Relating to watershed restoration; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  (1)(a) It is necessary to:

     (i) Restore and protect watersheds in accordance with priorities established to benefit fish stocks in critical or depressed condition as determined by the watershed coordinating council;

     (ii) Conduct watershed restoration and protection projects primarily on state lands in coordination with federal, local, tribal, and private sector efforts; and

     (iii) Create market wage jobs in environmental restoration for displaced natural resource impact area workers, as defined under chapter 226, Laws of 1995.

     (b) Except as provided in (c) of this subsection, the amounts under subsection (2) of this section are solely for projects jointly selected by the department of natural resources and the department of fish and wildlife.  Funds may be expended for planning, design, and engineering for projects that restore and protect priority watersheds identified by the watershed coordinating council and conform to priorities for fish stock recovery developed through watershed analysis conducted by the department of natural resources and the department of fish and wildlife.  Funds expended shall be used for specific projects and not for on-going operational costs.  Eligible projects include, but are not limited to, closure or improvement of forest roads, repair of culverts, clean-up of stream beds, removal of fish barriers, installation of fish screens, fencing of streams, and construction and planting of fish cover.

     (c) The department of natural resources and the department of fish and wildlife, in consultation with the watershed coordinating council, the office of financial management, and other appropriate agencies, shall report to the appropriate committees of the legislature on January 1, 1997, and annually thereafter, on any expenditures made from these amounts and a plan for future use of the moneys provided in this section.  The plan shall include a prioritized list of watersheds and future watershed projects.  The plan shall also consider future funding needs, the availability of federal funding, and the integration and coordination of existing watershed and protection programs.

     (d) All projects shall be consistent with any development regulations or comprehensive plans adopted under the growth management act for the project areas.  No funds shall be expended to acquire land through condemnation.

     (e) Funds from the wildlife account appropriation shall be available only to the extent that the department of fish and wildlife sells surplus property.

     (f) Funds from the resource management cost account appropriation shall only be used for projects on trust lands.  Funds from the forest development account shall only be used for projects on county forest board lands.

     (g) Projects under contract as of June 1, 1995 will be given first priority.

     (2) The sum of three million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the general fund to the department of natural resources for the purposes under subsection (1) of this section.

 


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